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Corrine
We got back to headquarters, and everyone was asking me to come drink with them, or get tattoos, or something else bizarre. Hardly anyone here even knew my name a few hours ago.
While everyone was distracted in the Pit, I discreetly walked away, walking through the now familiar corridors. I climbed the stairs to Eric's apartment and knocked softly a few times. When he didn't answer after, I started to walk away. But as my hand touched the railing for the stairs the door swung open.
"What are you doing here? Did anyone see you?" He questions as he pulls a black shirt over his torso.
"No. I snuck away. You didn't stay earlier...I thought you would be happy." I looked down at my feet.
"I am. I just..don't lose well." He stands to the side so that I can walk inside. I quickly slip passed him into the apartment.
I notice a lot of things knocked over and broken, dents in the walls that I don't remember being there before.
"What happened in here?" I asked.
He runs his hands through his hair in frustration. Groaning and pacing the room.
"I don't know what to do with my anger sometimes okay? I can't make it stop. So I break things and hit them until it stops." He tells me through clenched teeth.
I watch him, and I see that small trickles of blood are running off of his knuckles.
"You're hurt." I step towards him and he steps away farther.
"I'm fine. Please don't touch me."
"Eric, please let me help. I'll clean you up and I'll leave if you want. Just let me help."
"I don't want your help, Corrine."
"Too bad." I walk passed him and into his bathroom, grabbing a rag and wetting it in the sink.
When I walk back in, he's leaning against the counter, I walk over to him quickly, not giving him a chance to disagree with me again. He keeps backing up until he's pushed into the corner.
"Stop it Corrine, I'm fine, really." He says. I roll my eyes at him, taking his hand and lifting it so I can see the cuts. I bite my lip as I look at all the small gashes in his skin.
I carefully wipe the rag across the cuts. Eric doesn't move, he only watches me, his eyes never leaving my face as I concentrate on cleaning him up.
"Why are you doing this?" He asks, his voice rough.
"Because I care about you." I say quickly. My cheeks flush.
He puts his fingers under my chin, bringing my eyes up to his, the rag I hold in my hand stills against him.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't stay or tell you how well you did. I've told you Corrine, I'm horrible at this." His fingers slide up my jaw and my eyes involuntarily close.
I take a chance, and slide my hand over his chest and over the place where his heart is beating.
"This tells me differently. You've never had anyone care about you too, I get it, Eric. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to make you believe me." I whisper to him.
"I missed you, baby." He leans in close, his tall from towers over me but he presses his forehead to mine. And I can't help but smirk at the cheesy nickname.
"I missed you as well. The weeks are going by so slowly."
"It's half way over." He lightly presses the palm of his hand to my brining cheek.
"What happens when training is over? What do we do then?"
"I get to do this, whenever I feel like it." He smiles and brushes his lips over mine.
"And what if I don't want to kiss you back?" I tease.
"I don't see that being an issue." His smiles gets wider, and it's the most beautiful sight. A sight I wish I saw more often.
His lips press to mine again with a little more pressure. My hands move up to his neck and I lightly scratch at the skin there causing him to him against my lips.
"You're so beautiful." He says into my mouth. I don't answer, I just pull his lips back on mine. We kiss until my lips feel swollen and hot.
"Maybe...maybe we should stop." He breathes heavily.
"Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry..I.." I started to say but he cut me off with another chaste kiss.
"No. You're doing everything right. I just won't be able to stop, if we don't stop now." He explains.
"Oh. Of course, you're right." I tried to push away from him, feeling a bit foolish. But he only held me closer.
"You have to believe me when I tell you that I don't want to stop. But I'm trying to do right by you, Corrine."
"I'm the one that gets to decide what's right for me, Eric. Not you or anyone else."
"I know that. You're utterly stubborn, you know that?" He kisses my forehead lightly, a small laugh escaping me.
"I should go. They're all probably wondering where I am." I say and he nods, following me to the door.
"Goodnight, Corrine." He cups my face and kisses me once more.
"Goodnight." It barely comes out but I turn the doorknob and walk out into the open corridor. Feeling like my stomach was full of butterflies as he smiled at me. Nothing so beautiful should be hidden behind a constant look of anger. I smile back before turning the corner, running into something hard.
"Corrine! There you are!" My brother shouts.
"Um hey. I was just...uh.." I try to think of something quick but fail.
"With Eric?" He says with a smile.
"What? No. Not Eric, definitely not." I stumble and make it worse.
"Corrine, seriously. You're my sister, I know you better than you do. If you think I don't notice the way you look at him, or the way he watches you when you aren't looking, you're crazier than I thought." Finn teases.
"You can't say anything, Finn, please? I'm begging you." I grab onto my brothers arm for dear life.
"I promise, okay? I just don't know why you didn't tell me before." He says.
"Are sisters supposed to talk to their brothers about boys?" I smirk at him with a raised eyebrow.
"They should when the boy is the sisters instructor! How does that even happen? Is he mean to you?" He gets serious for a moment.
"No, Finn. He's actually very kind." I smile down at my shoes.
"That's just very unpleasant to think about." He pretends to gag and I laugh, pushing him away playfully.
"I'm sorry. It's just risky right now for anyone to know. But I trust you." I tell him.
"Don't worry, okay? No one else needs to know." He pats my shoulder. "Now, the reason I was looking for you was actually because some of the Dauntless born have something they want to show us."
"What would they want to show us?" I ask confused.
"They said it's sort of like our own little initiation." He shrugs and pulls me behind him.
We meet up with some others. Im surrounded by a lot of colorful hair and tattoos. We take off running away from headquarters, approaching one of the tallest buildings still standing. We run up the stairs, hundreds, maybe even thousands of stairs. I have to grasp my sides when we reach the top.
"That was horrible." My brother stands by me, his hands on his knees. I can't help the breathy laugh that comes out, sounding a bit wheezy.
"You guys go first." One of the others says.
"First for what?" I ask.
"We strap you in, you slide down the cable. Pull the brake at the bottom." He quickly explains, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the edge. When I see how high up we are I start to lose it.
"I don't know...I don't think I can." I say.
"I'll go with you Cor, it'll be fine." Finn pulls me to the edge of the building, where someone with big hands picks me up and straps me into a harness, by brother strapping in next to me.
"Finn I can't. It's too high up, I can't." I can feel tears trying to betray me.
"You can. I'm right here." He grabs my hand and I close my eyes, as I feel the other release is and the burning sounds of the harness streaming across the cable.
I keep my eyes closed and grip my brothers hand as tight as I can. I listen to him hoot and holler and yell as we continue sliding.
"Open your eyes, Corrine!" He shouts. I dare to open one of my eyes, watching my reflection in the side of the building. I open the other and see the old amusement park down below. It's beautifully terrifying.
I smile widely, yelling out and screeching with my brother. He makes me brave. Just like Eric makes me feel brave and beautiful. I wish he was here, in this moment, looking at all of this with me.
We reach the bottom all too quickly, the brakes screeching to a halt as we both pull onto it. I hug my brother when my feet the ground.
"I knew you could do it." He says into my hair.
"Thanks for believing in me." I tell him back.
"Always." He tell me back.
If I didn't have Finn, I never could of done this. He and Eric are the best things in my life. I've only been able to give small parts of myself to Marie and Ricky, but Finn knows everything.
And I want to give Eric everything.